19 April 2016–The Permanent Mission of the Republic of the Philippines/Philippine Consulate General (Geneva PM/PCG) and the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO-Geneva), in cooperation with the Filipino Swiss Vaud Association (FILSVA) and the Filipino Catholic Bible Study Group, conducted its first Financial Education and Entrepreneurial Workshop for Overseas Filipinos in the City of Lausanne in the Swiss Canton of Vaud.

The 12-hour workshop, scheduled on April 17 and 24, focuses on financial management concepts, marketing and advertising, financial statements, and entrepreneurship. It is the seventh batch of students who have enrolled in the class, which Geneva PM/PCG started in November 2016.

Consul General Enrico T. Fos emphasized in his opening remarks the importance of financial education and skills development for further empowerment and future reintegration.

Ms. Marichu Blum, on behalf of the FILSVA and the Filipino community of Lausanne, expressed appreciation for the project and looked forward to an active participation in the classes.

The workshop is part of the overall Financial Education program of Geneva PM/PCG and POLO-Geneva, which includes a roving seminar on how financial management can help address the social costs of migration.

The program is also part of efforts by Geneva PM/PCG and POLO-Geneva to help empower women, given that women compose the demographic majority of overseas Filipinos in the cantons of Geneva and Vaud, over which the consulate has jurisdiction.

Geneva PM/PCG, will complement the Workshop with a forum with representatives from SSS and Pag-IBIG on May 01, during the graduation ceremony, alongside a biannual Consular Outreach. END